Bada's Evaluation

A sudden wind burst and charged at Arjuna. It was Bada's fist. Arjuna had little time to react; his gut screamed, telling him to dodge. But he refused. His feet rooted to the floor and his muscles tensed.

But he moved forward. Bada noticed the change in Arjuna and grinned wide. Arjuna twisted his body and narrowly avoided the full brunt of the strike.

His hair fluttered by the wind pressure emitted by Bada's fist. Though, he countered. His fist shot like a torpedo, aiming for Bada's side.

Thud!

It connected—barely. But Bada reacted for the first time. The moment was fleeting. Bada's eyes widened in surprise.

Bada grinned. "Finally fighting back?"

He retaliated in a flash, sweeping his leg low. Arjuna leaped, but Bada was faster, slamming his palm into Arjuna's stomach mid-air.

The force sent Arjuna hurtling across the dojo. He hit the floor, skidding before rolling to his feet. He coughed, feeling the lingering shock of the blow.

Bada cracked his knuckles. "Lesson three! If you hesitate, you're finished."

Arjuna wiped his mouth and exhaled. His body hurt. His lungs burned. But excitement flickered in his chest.

This fight was different. There was no magic to fall back on—just skill, instinct, and grit. Bada studied him for a moment.

Bada grinned wider, noticing the change in Arjuna's stance. "That's the look I was waiting for."

Arjuna ducked under a brutal hook, countering with a sharp kick to Bada's ribs. The impact made a satisfying smack, but Bada barely reacted. Instead, he grabbed Arjuna's leg mid-kick and yanked.

Arjuna twisted midair, using the momentum to throw an elbow toward Bada's temple. Bada dodged with ease, his movements fluid and precise.

Bada let go at the last second, stepping back just as Arjuna crashed. Before Arjuna could recover, Bada's knee shot up.

Arjuna barely blocked, but the sheer force sent him staggering. Bada chased him, throwing relentless strikes. Punches, elbows, and knees all came swiftly like thunder.

Arjuna gritted his teeth, weaving through the attacks, blocking when he had to, striking when he could.

He was learning the rhythm of Bada's movements. The man wasn't just strong; he was technical. There was intent behind every blow.

A lesser fighter would have been knocked out already, but Arjuna was adapting. As the battle went on, Arjuna started to predict Bada's next move.

Bada swung a crushing hook. Arjuna ducked and retaliated, striking Bada's side, this time, with more weight behind it.

Bada grunted. His grin widened. "Now we're talking!"

The dojo trembled as the battle escalated. Students had completely abandoned their training to watch. Bets were being whispered.

Genderuwo rumbled with laughter, watching from the sidelines. "He's improving."

The two fighters clashed again. Arjuna slipped past Bada's guard, landing a clean uppercut to his jaw. The impact made Bada's head tilt slightly.

The students gasped. Someone had landed a real hit on Bada.

That hit him?

Bada's head snapped back into place like nothing had happened. The dojo fell silent as Bada regained his composure.

He cracked his neck. Then he grinned. "Not bad."

Arjuna's stomach dropped. He knew Bada was just getting started. The tension in the dojo was apparent as the two fighters recomposed themselves.

Bada stepped forward. "My turn."

BOOM!

Arjuna's body barely registered the impact before he was sent flying again. This time, he hit the far wall, shaking the dojo itself.

He slumped to the floor, gasping for air. His vision blurred for a second. Bada stood over him, a look of triumph in his eyes.

The students winced. Bada extended a hand to help Arjuna, a gesture of respect after a fierce battle. Arjuna accepted reluctantly.

"Welp," one whispered. "That's game."

The dojo fell silent. Then Bada chuckled. A slow, rumbling laugh that built into a full-blown cackle.

He clapped his hands together, the sound echoing through the dojo. "Alright, kid. You got heart."

Arjuna blinked. "Huh?"

Bada stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders. "That's enough for today."

Arjuna frowned. "Really?"

Bada turned to his students. "Lesson over! Get back to training!"

The students groaned but obeyed, resuming their drills. Arjuna stood there, a mix of confusion and relief washing over him. He had earned Bada's approval, even if he didn't fully understand how.

Arjuna was still processing. "So, I passed?"

Bada smirked. "That's enough."

Arjuna sighed, relief washing over him. Every part of his body ached. But despite everything, a small grin tugged at his lips.

He survived Bada's training.

For now.

After the chaos of the brawl, Bada led Arjuna up a set of creaking wooden stairs to a quieter part of the dojo.

A simple room, sparsely decorated but warm, overlooked the training hall. A low table sat in the center, a steaming teapot already set.

Bada plopped onto the floor, gesturing for Arjuna to do the same. The floor creaked under his weight.

Bada poured them each a cup of tea as they sat quietly. The quiet atmosphere settled between them, the only sound being the faint murmurs of students training below.

Arjuna sank into the cushion and groaned, his body aching. "Please tell me this tea has healing properties."

Bada snorted. "It's tea. Not a magic potion." He slid a cup over.

Arjuna took it gratefully, the warmth seeping into his aching fingers. The two sat in comfortable silence, sipping their tea.

Bada sipped his tea. "You did good."

Arjuna scoffed. "You punched me through a wall."

Bada shrugged. "Should've punched harder."

Arjuna exhaled, shaking his head. "Have I passed?" His gaze was set on Bada.

Bada set his cup down. "I wasn't testing your skill. I was testing your endurance."

His sharp eyes locked onto Arjuna. "Fighting isn't just about techniques. It's about standing back up, no matter how much it hurts."

Arjuna mulled over his words, staring into his tea. He'd fought ghosts. He'd fought spirits. He'd faced death more times than he could count. But this was different.

There was no contract, no supernatural power-up, just him. He endured those barrages of attacks launched at him.

Bada smirked. "You'll fit right in."

Arjuna raised an eyebrow. "Fit into what?"

Bada leaned back, arms crossed. "You'll see soon enough."

Arjuna sighed. Another mystery. Another step deeper into whatever world he was being pulled into. He took another sip of tea. For now, he'd enjoy the moment.